South Beloit family battles utility giant over astronomical water bills and digital meter errors

For a family of five living in a standard suburban home, using a few thousand gallons of water a month is typical. But according to data recorded by Illinois American Water and South Beloit's waste water department, Dar and Kris Otten of South Beloit managed to use one billion gallons in a single month and zero the next.

Now, after months of erratic billing spikes, technician visits, and official insistence that nothing is wrong, the Ottens are fighting back. Believing they are not alone in their struggle with the utility giant, the couple is taking steps toward establishing a class-action lawsuit against Illinois American Water over its billing practices and digital meter readings.

“Leaks don’t just fix themselves,” Kris Otten said. “Our bill returning to normal for an entire year, then suddenly having another leak one month just to have it return to normal... it makes no sense. The facts remain: there’s no leak, money is being stolen from us, and they’re doing it to others, too.”

An Impossible Paper Trail

The Ottens’ trouble began in February 2025 when Illinois American Water replaced their traditional water meter with a new digital reader. Prior to the installation, the family paid a questionable 18,400-gallon bill in November 2024, choosing to pay it and move on.

By late summer 2025, however, the numbers escalated rapidly. In July, 2025 usage climbed as the family filled their pool.

• August & September 2025: Usage continued to rise despite the pool being prepped for closing and water shut-offs.
• October 2025: The bill peaked at 39,700 gallons in a single month — an average of more than 1,300 gallons a day, or roughly one gallon of water every single minute for 30 straight days.

When the Ottens called Illinois American Water to contest the October charge, customer service representatives suggested out of town guests were visiting or suggested leaks in the toilet or water softener. The Ottens checked every fixture following the company's instructions, but found no leaks.

When technicians finally visited the home, they found themselves equally stumped. Even with the main water shut off inside the home, the digital meter continued to register active water usage. Technicians acknowledged that if the family were actually losing that much water, the yard would be a soaked, swampy mess and structural water damage would be unavoidable. Neither was present.

“Because they could not explain how we have no leak and yet show active water usage, they changed out the meter expecting it to be faulty,” Kris recalled.

However, technicians issued a warning before leaving: meter tests routinely come back clean. Sure enough, the factory test claimed the replaced unit was operating normally. With the meter officially "cleared," Illinois American Water absolved itself of liability, leaving the Ottens responsible for hundreds of dollars in charges for water they never used, an amount Kris described as "enough water to run a car wash."

"A Billion Gallons in January, Zero in May"

Without a single call to a plumber or any repairs made to the home, the Ottens' monthly water bills instantly dropped back to normal levels following the meter replacement, remaining stable for nearly a year.

Then came the wastewater municipal consumption records spanning late 2024 through mid-2026, which revealed even more bewildering numbers:

• January 2026: System records listed the family's usage at 1,000,000,000 (one billion) gallons.
• May 2026: The same system recorded 0 gallons, despite two adults and three children actively living in the house and using water daily.

To put one billion gallons into perspective, that volume is equivalent to roughly 1,500 Olympic-sized swimming pools, or enough water to submerge nearly 3,000 acres of land (roughly 80% of the entire city of South Beloit) under a foot of water.

The Utility Responds

When asked about the astronomical figures, Sarah Kramer, external affairs representative for Illinois American Water, noted that a billion gallons in a 30-day month equals about 33 million gallons per day.

"That level of usage would be unusual for a household and is not representative of typical residential water consumption," Kramer stated. "A reported amount that high would warrant a review of the account, meter data, and billing records to determine whether there was a reporting, unit-conversion or data-entry issue. Because the city wastewater treatment plant provided the figure, it is unclear how it was calculated, so that inquiry should be directed to the city."

Meanwhile, officials at the South Beloit Wastewater Department previously deflected responsibility, stating their sewer billing relies entirely on readings provided directly by Illinois American Water's digital readers.

The Cycle Repeats

The respite proved temporary. By September 2026, the Ottens' water bill spiked again without warning.

On September 28, 2026, an Illinois American Water technician arrived while the couple was away, leaving a note claiming the property had "constant running water." The family has scheduled a follow-up inspection for October 7, where Kris plans to walk the technician through the property personally.

“We are waiting for a technician to come out so I can be home to check for a leak, see there isn't one, and replace our meter again... just to have it pass again,” Kris said.

Utility Guidelines on Leaks and Testing

Addressing how the company handles such complaints, Kramer explained that field representatives can visit a home the next day to check meters and help identify potential consumption sources. Depending on the meter type, Illinois American Water can extract water consumption data indicating whether usage is continuous or intermittent.

When asked about common hidden leaks when usage spikes by thousands of gallons, Kramer pointed to:

• Common indoor leaks: Leaky toilets, faucets, humidifiers, refrigerator ice-making units, and washing machines.
• Common outdoor leaks: Automatic lawn-sprinkling systems, swimming pools, service connecting lines, and outdoor faucets. (Kramer also noted that meters in this service area are located primarily inside customer homes, and properties feature an internal shut-off valve alongside the curb stop owned by the utility).

Regarding meter accuracy, Illinois American Water noted that under Illinois law, customers may request a water meter test and receive a written report of the results.

Eyeing Legal Action and Available Assistance

Facing what they describe as a systemic failure with zero administrative recourse, the Ottens are now exploring a class-action lawsuit against Illinois American Water. They suspect numerous other households across Illinois are quietly paying inflated bills out of fear or confusion.

“Because it’s a small handful of people and we don’t have the funds in this economy to fight a company with corporate lawyers out of our own pockets, it feels like a losing battle,” Kris admitted. “Another leak one month just to have it return to normal... but we can't just stand by while this continues.”

To those Illinois American Water customers interested in joining the Ottens in potential legal action can contact Kris Otten via email.

Customer Resources

For customers facing billing discrepancies or financial strain, Illinois American Water highlights the following options:

• MyWater Portal: Customers can monitor water usage, view up to two years of past usage records, manage accounts, and contact customer service online or via phone at 1-800-422-2782.
• Income-Based Discount Program: Provides monthly bill discounts for customers with incomes at or below 300% of the federal poverty level. Applications are handled via partner Dollar Energy at dollarenergy.org or by calling 888-282-6816.
• H2O Help to Others Program: Managed by Illinois Salvation Army agencies, this program provides supplemental funding assistance to residential customers. More details are available at illinoisamwater.com.